Ken Stimpson Community School Staniland Way, Werrington, Peterborough PE4 6JT
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School report Ken Stimpson Community School Staniland Way, Werrington, Peterborough PE4 6JT Inspection dates 26–27 April 2016 Overall effectiveness Good Effectiveness of leadership and management Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Outcomes for pupils Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement Summary of key findings for parents and pupils This is a good school The principal and governing body have an Pupils’ behaviour around the school is impressive. uncompromising drive to improve the They mix well and move around the school in an opportunities for all pupils. Decisive leadership has orderly and calm manner. resulted in the school successfully addressing the Pupils feel safe in school. The school’s actions to issues from the previous inspection. keep pupils safe are robust. There has been rapid improvement in the progress The school is fully inclusive. Pupils who require being made by current pupils in a wide range of support managing their behaviour or to improve subjects compared with that in previously their attendance receive highly effective help from published key stage 4 results. the pupils’ support team. Pupils are making good progress in a range of Attendance is above average. subjects including English and mathematics. The sixth form is well led and managed. Teachers consistently apply the school’s marking Expectations of students are high and as a result policy. As a result of precise feedback, pupils are outcomes are improving. able to improve their work in order to make good progress. It is not yet an outstanding school because Progress in science is not as rapid as it is in other Not all teachers have high enough expectations of subjects due to some inconsistency in the quality pupils’ written work. of teaching, especially in key stage 3. In a few lessons, a small number of pupils can cause low-level disruption. Full report What does the school need to do to improve further? Continue to improve the teaching in science in order to accelerate progress, especially in key stage 3, by sharing the best and most innovative practice across the department. Ensure that all staff consistently apply the school’s behaviour policy. Ensure that all staff have the same high expectations for all groups of pupils for the standard of handwriting and presentation of written work. Inspection report: Ken Stimpson Community School, 26–27 April 2016 2 of 10 Inspection judgements Effectiveness of leadership and management is good The principal provides decisive leadership. He is supported by a strong governing body and senior leadership team. They have correctly identified what the school needs to do to improve. Well thought out strategies that are regularly monitored and evaluated have resulted in the school successfully addressing the issues raised at the last inspection. A very large majority of the staff who were working at the school during the last inspection believe that the school has improved. Senior leaders and governors are ambitious for all pupils and have been relentless in their drive to improve standards in teaching and learning. Challenging achievement targets are set for pupils. These are monitored regularly, ensuring that pupils are currently making sustained good or better levels of progress. The standard of the work carried out by subject leaders has improved due to high-quality training and support from senior leaders. The subject leaders meticulously monitor the quality of teaching, assessment and progress of pupils. They each know the strengths and weaknesses within their subject and are taking effective action to continue to improve outcomes for pupils. Senior leaders and governors hold subject leaders strictly to account through regular review meetings. Senior leaders have made good use of the support offered by the local authority. They have used advisers to work with the mathematics department and to externally validate their evaluation of the school’s work. The local authority provides ‘light-touch’ support to the school. Senior and subject leaders combine information from classroom observations, pupils’ progress data and samples of their work along with short visits to lessons to make judgements about the quality of teaching. They use the findings to tailor specific training and support for teachers in order for them to improve their practice. As a result, the quality of teaching across the school is now typically good. Most teachers say that their teaching has improved as a result. Processes for teachers’ performance management are robust and rigorous. They are held to account for the progress of pupils they teach. Pay awards are linked to teachers meeting their targets. The school uses pupil premium funding well to support disadvantaged pupils with their learning by ensuring that pupils have access to curriculum visits, trips and revision materials as well as additional support with their learning. Mentors work very effectively with students to support them with their learning and promote their emotional and social well-being. The school has a larger-than-average proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language and who come from minority ethnic groups. The school works in close partnership with establishments that specialise in teaching English as an additional language to ensure that teachers have the necessary skills to support the pupils’ learning and help them to settle into school. The use of Year 7 catch-up funding is having a positive impact on pupils’ progress. Progress information shows that most pupils who entered the school with lower than Level 4 in English and mathematics have caught up with their peers. Teachers’ consistent application of the school’s marking and assessment policy results in pupils being given helpful and concise feedback in almost all lessons. Teachers give pupils good advice and guidance on how to improve their work, resulting in them making good progress. Pupils appreciate the high-quality feedback and say it helps them to develop their knowledge and skills. The school is committed to inclusion and equal opportunity for all. A small number of pupils who join the school in Year 7 find the transition from primary to secondary school difficult. These pupils are taught as a small group in the school’s learning centre. They follow a timetable which is a mix of primary and secondary school practice, as they are taught English, mathematics and humanities by one teacher and go to specialist areas for subjects such as science, art and physical education. These pupils thrive in this environment and as soon as they have made sufficient academic progress or have the confidence to continue unassisted, they move on to join their peers. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum which covers the full range of creative, technical and academic subjects. It provides extensive opportunities for all pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development via a full programme of visits and clubs including sport, the arts and languages. Fundamental British values are promoted through assemblies and in lessons. During the inspection, a group of Year 10 business studies students were debating very eloquently the impact that leaving or staying in the European Union would have on business in the United Kingdom. Inspection report: Ken Stimpson Community School, 26–27 April 2016 3 of 10 By the time pupils leave school, they are well prepared for further education, employment or training. Pupils have the opportunity to develop problem-solving and teamworking skills through a number of business and enterprise programmes that also help to develop their self-confidence. For example, Years 12 and 13 students competed in the national enterprise scheme where they won the award for the best company, and a team of Year 9 pupils won the ‘Build a business challenge’ run by Peterborough College. Weekly newletters are emailed home to parents and carers and these contain topical information, for example how to support your child with their examinations. Parents can check homework via the school website, along with information on keeping children safe. Parents say they appreciate the progress postcards they receive informing them of their child’s achievements. Parents have confidence in the leadership of the school. Comments such as ‘extremely happy with the school’, ‘the principal is approachable and highly visible’, and ‘the school is helping to turn my children into well-rounded, considerate and educated adults’ are typical comments from parents who expressed their views. The governance of the school Governors are passionate about the school and have a detailed knowledge of its strengths and weaknesses. They make a valuable contribution to developing the aspirations and vision of the school. They have high expectations for the pupils and of the staff. The governors are appropriately trained to fulfil their role. Good use is made of their individual skills and expertise. Their experience and skills strengthen the school’s leadership. Governors know how the school is performing via reports, attending termly subject reviews and through regular visits to the school. They are very effective in their challenge to leaders, and set demanding targets. They have a detailed understanding of how the additional funding for Year 7 and disadvantaged pupils is spent and the impact it is having on pupils’ progress and attainment. They oversee the performance management arrangements and ensure that pay awards are given to staff who have met their targets. Governors ensure that safeguarding policies are up to date and that the school is following the latest guidelines. A number of governors are trained in safeguarding. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school ensures that all staff have undergone the appropriate checks in order to work with pupils. The identification of visitors to the school is checked and they are provided with information about the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures.